Letters to the editor: 6/27

Politicians don't want
to fix immigration mess

Illegal immigration has always been a problem, but in the past 50 years has become a massive problem that apparently no one wants to solve.

Many factors caused this explosion in the numbers of illegal aliens: political freedom, economic opportunity, agribusiness looking for cheaper labor "to do the work Americans won't do," and more.

The last time immigration laws were enforced, the Eisenhower administration was 95 percent effective in stopping illegal aliens. Subsequently, politicians wanted to appear compassionate while establishing a class of poor immigrant laborers who would vote for big government programs. In the 1960s these "benevolent" politicians passed legislation which provided the first amnesty, anchor babies and chain immigration. They assured us the border would be secured.

In the 1980s, Reagan was assured by the Ted Kennedy crowd that if he went along with amnesty for 3 million illegal aliens, the border would surely be secured. He did; they didn't.

Besides the several smaller amnesties granted since then, we are now confronted with 15 million illegal aliens and the same promise to secure our border after we give amnesty. How stupid are we?

Want to solve the problem? End anchor babies, a misuse of the 14th Amendment, chain immigration, financial assistance to illegals, establish temporary laborer visas - require illegals to go home to apply for it - and enforce all immigration laws. The path to citizenship is clear in immigration law.

Which of our politicians want to fix the problem and which want to play politics?

Dennis M. Maloney

Poughkeepsie

Weakened DEC caters
to developers, investors

The final environmental impact statement on the proposed Williams Lake development in Rosendale, released by the state Department of Environmental Conservation, reveals that years of state cutbacks in budget and staffing have weakened its ability to carry out its responsibilities. Where's the "hard look" at applications to develop land in order to enhance the health, safety and welfare of New Yorkers and prevent water, land and air pollution?

Serious problems adversely impacting Rosendale's ecosystem - including the people who live in it - were not addressed by the developers. What the DEC neglected to do (or what it should have required the developer to do) illustrates just how little consideration was given to public interest and environmental protection and how much favor was given to corporate interests and investors' protection.

Why no acknowledgment of the increasing risk of droughts from climate change, which will have serious effects on the lake, downstream wetlands and nearby private wells? Why no assessment of likely taxpayer costs for expensive repairs to town and county roads from 10 years of heavy truck traffic?

Why were alternative plans for this property not seriously considered?

A newly repaired railroad trestle, a rail trail crossing the property and the newly purchased Joppenburgh Mountain suggest the need for a resort for nature tourists, not for wealthy second-home owners and occasional spa attendees.

These are among the questions that the DEC should have raised before the developers' assurances about prosperity and environmental "mitigation" for the community were taken at face value.

Irwin Sperber

Andi Weiss Bartczak

Gardiner

For the Mid-Hudson Group/Sierra Club

Obama administration accountable for scandals

In his June 19 letter to the editor ( "Scandals vs. mistakes: definitely a difference"), my friend and former colleague Gerry Browne attempts to show that recent acts by the federal government may not have been what most people perceived them to be.

He forgot to mention the Operation Fast And Furious debacle approved by the White House and implemented by Attorney General Holder that resulted in the sale of weapons - such as the weapons Gerry and I used in Vietnam - to known Mexican drug cartels that resulted in the death of a young American Border Patrol agent. Was that an act that can be forgiven and forgotten by a simple "I am sorry, but I made a mistake" or was that - and does it remain - a scandal?

He also forgot that for five days, both Ambassador Susan Rice and White House press secretary Jay Carney were spewing the administration's position that there was no terrorism involved in Benghazi, but it was just a reaction to a YouTube video that some Muslims found offensive. That was also stated by both the president himself and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton several times at news conferences, and later investigators from both parties found that not to be the actual case. Was it then a mistake or a scandal? Why was the requested additional security turned down? Why were the U.S. jets stationed in southern Italy and only minutes away not sent to support the defense of that American compound?

There needs to be accountability for these scandals of the past three years.

Stan Mersand

Pawling

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Letters to the editor: 6/27

Illegal immigration has always been a problem, but in the past 50 years has become a massive problem that apparently no one wants to solve.

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